AMG Review of Bossa de Caetano

Philip Jandovský
All Music Guide

Throughout his long career, Caetano Veloso has recorded songs of innumerable moods and styles -- ranging from psychedelic rock and smooth rap to upbeat samba and melancholic Brazilian folk music. This CD, however, is filled exclusively with bossa nova tunes that Veloso performed between 1969 and 1999. For any lover of bossa nova or classic Brazilian popular music, this CD is a real treat, with Veloso interpreting beautiful songs by great Brazilian composers such as Tom Jobim, Marcos Valle, Chico Buarque, Ary Barroso, and Fernando Lobo. There is also a very interesting interpretation of Michael Jackson's famous hit "Billy Jean," transformed by Veloso into a lovely bossa nova. This CD showcases Veloso's supreme talent as an interpreter, more than as a composer, as only two of the tracks are his own compositions -- the beautiful "Lindeza" and "Desde que o Samba É Samba" (which is a duet with Gilberto Gil).